Time in a bottle

"I've looked around enough to know,

that you're the one I want to go through time with."

A song from my youth. All though I never appreciated then why one would want to put time in a bottle a line of the song stuck with me until I met Robin: I knew she was the one that I wanted to through time with. If only I could have put some of that time in a bottle.  

If I could save time in a bottle

The first thing that I'd like to do

Is to save every day

Till Eternity passes away

Just to spend them with you

If I could make days last forever

If words could make wishes come true

I'd save every day like a treasure and then

Again, I would spend them with you

But there never seems to be enough time 

To do the things you want to once you find them

I've looked around enough to know

that you are the one I want to go through time with

If I had a box just for wishes

And dreams that never come true

the box would be empty 

Except for the memory

Of how they were answered by you

But now there never seems to be enough time

To do the things you want to do

Once you find them

I've looked around enough to know 

that you are the one I want to go 

through time with

If I could save time in a bottle

The the first thing that I'd like to do 

Is to save every day 

Till Eternity passes away

Just to spend them with you

God

I talked to someone today. A fellow ... I don't know what the word for us is. Widow/widower is a census label. It connotates the inevitable result of a full life. The loss of a spouse in your 60's/70's/80's seems natural if no less painful. And in that case the label fits. But who are we that lost are loved ones before THEIR time? We don't grieve for ourselves. We grieve for them. It was not natural for their lives to be taken before their time. Either suddenly or slowly it doesn't matter. Self induced or not. They were beautiful people and God took them before... before he had a right to.

And we are angry. And we are self-righteous. My fellow "?" reminded me that it wasn't God that took them. That it was our world. Environmental carcinogens. Addictions nurtured by crappy childhoods or natural predilections. Bad luck or lousy drivers.... etc. etc. etc. Our fates were sealed in the Garden of Eden. No good without bad. No yin without yang. Millions ... billions have suffered in human history. Children suffer through out the world, in our cities, next door. It could be worse. Or so the rationalization goes.

But that doesn't suffice. And so we reserve the right, in our belated beloved's honor, to be mad at God for as long as we want. God, will just have to deal with that.

Epilogue

Wikipedia defines an epilogue as "a piece of writing at the end of a work of literature or drama, usually used to bring closure to the work." But I don't like the terms "closure" or "moving on" when it comes to talking about Robin. It sounds too dismissive to me. Her spirit lives on her children and our memories and I don't think any of us want to "move on" from that memory.

So April 21st will mark the one year anniversary of the last time we heard Robin's voice. Almost a year. A year of the phone ringing and it not being her - something I know has been hard for all of us. I promise that if I can find a suitable clip of her I will try to put it on the blog so that we all can hear her again.

Easter is coming up and if Robin were here I'm sure she would already have it all planned. I'd say she made a big deal out of Easter but she made a big deal out of every holiday. But for some reason Easter feels different. She always wanted to make the baskets from scratch and I remember thinking how much work that was when you could just buy one. But she always wanted to make them. She also liked to give the kids a present on Easter. And it seemed we'd go to multiple Easter egg hunts. Once, she even managed to get my whole family up for a sunrise Easter service at the beach. Unfortunately, once she was diagnosed, I couldn't help wondering each Easter if it would be the last.

As I'm writing this Anthony came to me and asked me how long until Easter. Then he said that each year he gets something but this year he wasn't sure that he will get what he wants. It's so hard to tell what the kids are thinking.

Thursday, May 24 th 2007

Services.
Visitation will be held on Friday, May 25th from 5 to 8 pm.
Baldwin Fairchild, Oakland Chapel
5000 CR 46A Sanford. (corner 46A and Rinhart)
Robin loves flowers. We spoke in advance about it and that is what she wants.

The Funeral Service will be held Saturday morning, 11 AM at Annunciation. Then we will return to Baldwin Fairchild (the cemetery).
Annunciation Catholic Church
1020 Montgomery Road
Altamonte Springs, Florida 32714
407-869-9472

Wednesday, May 23 2007

It is over.
Robin fought hard. She didn't want to give in but the cancer was too much. She passed away peacefully and when she was ready. We played music for her at the end. She was with the people she loved and the people that loved her. Pray for Katelyn, Alyssa and Anthony as they come to grips with this. The funeral will be held on Saturday.

Sunday, May 20 2007

Robin is heavily sedated to ward off pain. Her heart continues to go on because she is a strong women who refuses to give in . She would endure anything to be with her children again. Robin did not have the luxury of growing up in a typical family. She so much wanted her children to have what she did not.
Thank you Ives for last night and Lourdes for staying tonight.

Saturday, May 19

The doctor who examined her said that Robin could possibly only last a few hours this afternoon. As usual, Robin proved him wrong. Her vitals were stable at 10PM tonight. Special thanks and love to Eives for staying the night so that I could get rest. Thanks to my friends who I haven't heard from in years. Robin is strong, not in pain, and could prove the doctors wrong again. We continue to be grateful for all the prayers, love and support from family and friends. I know that I wouldn't be able to do this without each and everyone of you.